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Dolly Smart
Dolly Smart (née Buckle) is Fred’s daughter who is currently married with two children, a boy named Anthony and a little girl named Samantha. Her husband is a merchant sailor who is often away. Dolly and her sister, Marlene, were sent away during World War II, and their mother died during the Blitz. After their mother died, and due to the fact that Fred was in the army, Dolly and her sister were shuffled around between relatives for two years. When the family came back together after the war, they found their home had been destroyed and so they made a new home. Dolly appeared in Series 2, Episode 9. At the start of the episode, Fred was eagerly cleans his apartment in anticipation for a visit from his daughter, Dolly. Dolly was heavily pregnant at the time and tucked her toddler age son in the back of a rented truck and made the five hour drive herself. Later, Fred takes Dolly to the antenatal clinic where she is seen by Chummy. Dolly leaves her young son with his grandfather, who awkwardly sits in the waiting area. Fred and Chummy were in the Parish Hall with their cub scouts group, and Dr. Turner arrived to teach the boys how to craft an origami frog. A breathless and sore footed Dolly arrives to give Fred his forgotten lunch. She remarks that her feet are very swollen and Chummy overhears, then asking to see them. When she does, Chummy becomes concerned and brings her into the backroom to do a quick urine test, where Dolly also remarks she has a splitting headache. Chummy finds that Dolly has protein in her urine, a telltale sign of preeclampsia and alerts Dr. Turner who then confirms the diagnosis. Fred, Dolly, Chummy and Dr. Turner then escort Dolly from the Hall and into the Maternity Home where she can rest. Dolly is forced to leave her son in the care of her father, who is rather awkward with his toddler grandson. We next see Dolly crying in her bed as Chummy tries to soothe her. Chummy tells her that preeclampsia is uncommon with a second baby, but that all will be well. Dolly sobs that she’s afraid her father won’t know what to do with her son. Chummy tells her that when she was in boarding school, her old matron would tell them to recite Psalm 123, breathing deep between each line. Dolly cries that she doesn’t know that Psalm, and so Chummy tells her to sing her favorite song instead. She song does calm her. The next morning, Fred comes to visit with Anthony in tow, much to Dolly’s happiness. However, Dolly smells her son, and finds out that her father had bathed him in shampoo. This causes her further worry that her father won’t be able to handle her son. Chummy pipes in that perhaps if Dolly can see her son at the exact same time every morning for two minutes, it may be enough to reassure her that all is well. Dolly agrees. For the next few days, Fred does exactly that, however, it is shown Fred is having trouble with little Anthony. When Dolly enters labour, Dr. Turner had just learned Sister Bernadette was discharged from the Sanatorium after treatment for tuberculosis, and had renounced her vows. Eager to see her, Dr. Turner gave Dolly a quick examination and left her in Chummy’s care. Nurse Lee arrived shortly after to assist. During the birth, Dolly’s waters hadn’t broken and her labour wasn’t progressing fast enough. Jenny decided to break them for her, but as she assessed her instruments, she noted Chummy’s tensing and deep breathing and asked her if she was alright. Chummy assured her she was fine, but unknown to Jenny, was that Chummy was having her own contractions. Jenny gives Dolly gas and air to help her labour along, and she soon gives birth to a little girl. Chummy brings the baby out to meet Fred and as Fred says the baby is a “chip off the old block” and that it has a “proper little boxers face” she tells him it’s a girl. Fred admires the baby, holding her foot and relays to Chummy about his own experiences as a child and a father. He tells her his own father was neglectful and that as a boy, he promised himself that his own children would have warm feet, hot meals and a happy home. He says he was able to make sure of all three, until the war broke out. He tells Chummy what makes a parent is proximity. Chummy then reveals she’s in labour. However, Chummy’s labour is difficult and she and her son nearly die. Later, when Chummy is recovered, she and Dolly have their babies baptized together. Chummy names her son Fred after Fred Buckle, and Dolly names her daughter Samantha. It is hinted that Fred, though he did not care what Dolly named her, “never became accustomed” to the “rather modern name” of his granddaughter. Sometime after the episode, Dolly and her family moved to Australia. She was not present at her father’s wedding to his second wife, Violet. Her sister Marlene relocated to Canada. Category:Characters Category:Females Category:Patients